Schizochiton incisus
©Anne Hoggett: Schizochiton incisus under rubble slab near the sandspit on Palfrey Island, Lizard Island Group. Relatively common in this area.
©Anne Hoggett: Schizochiton incisus 36 mm long from under rubble exposed at low tide at Coconut Beach, Lizard Island. Identified by Bruno Anseeuw through iNaturalist.
©Anne Hoggett: The 7th and 8th valves of Schizochiton incisus from Coconut Beach, Lizard Island. The mantle is fissured behind the tail plate. The tail plate itself is also fissured in the vertical plane (in this view, below the median notch on the posterior margin).
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Mollusca
Class
Polyplacophora
Order
Chitonida
Family
Schizochitonidae
Genus
Schizochiton
Species
Schizochiton incisus
Colours
Distinguishing features
The first valve (anterior end) is fan-shaped with ocelli ("shell eyes") arranged in radial rows. Other valves have a single row of ocelli arranged in a V-shape. At the posterior end, the girdle and the vertical posterior face of the tail valve are split - this is typical of the genus. (Information provided by Bruno Anseeuw, Jul 2020). At Lizard Island, colour varies from pale greenish brown to almost black.
Size
- Up to 5 cm (length of Lizard Island specimens)
Synonyms
Distribution
Web resources
References
References that assist with identification
- Schwabe, E. (2010). Illustrated summary of chiton terminology (Mollusca, Polyplacophora). Spixiana, 33(2): 171-194. LIRS catalog number 90361.
Other references
- Robertson, R. (1981). List of shell-bearing mollusks observed and collected at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, Tryonia, 4: 1-32. LIRS catalog number 403.